The rumor mills, especially from the Obamanation camp have a field day speculating that I suffer from seizures and unfit to consider the presidency. Blue Lips should talk; his inability to complete a coherent sentence without a teleprompter suggests he lacks the brainpower to think on his own. The Repugs are less obvious in their assessment, claiming the recent accident should not be used as a future marker of his judgment. Meanwhile, my handlers play the card with the finesse of riverboat gamblers, knowing the debate has given the issue staying power. Within 14 hours, media has experts on both sides arguing my fitness.
A chant like a waving in a giant wheat field flows over the crowd.
Catcher McCall stands tall
He’s our President for one and all.
Catcher McCall stands tall
He’s our President for one and all.
Catcher McCall stands tall
He’s our President for one and all. …
At the assigned hour, I enter the portable elevator to lift me forty feet to a specially designed platform. As if by magic I emerge from the center of the square. The panoramic view is breathtaking and the noise is so loud my entire body seems to be compressing on all sides. Like a giant postage stamp on eight megascreens, my face shows bigger than life. Red, white and blue banners sparkle and flex, cell-cameras flash, people wave small flags. McCall for President posters are present everywhere. Homogeneous crowd of 71,400 stand in unison. Drowned out in the background is the public domain anthem – Hail to the Chief – played by a 90 piece marching band.
Once the music stops the megascreens flash:
… The opening statement of Catcher McCall the next President of the United States …
The arena is near silent.
I begin to speak while my individual words are played as said.
… Effective today, I must withdraw my candidacy for the presidency of the United States. A leader must be 100% committed ….
The megascreens stops posting the words and instead focuses on my face. Meanwhile, the crowd is on the verge of rioting. A larger number of people inadvertently band together, storm the aisles and march toward the raised platform. Others are yelling, many are crying.
Flashing the words on the megascreens, as I said,
… Please allow me to continue. Please accept my wishes and understand the reasons. I am not a quitter, nor am I selling out to special interests or endorsing another candidate. I love our country and wish the very best. Please have faith and hear my words before you act.
Finally, the vast crowd is in a collective state of mind to listen.
… Effective today, I must withdraw my candidacy for the presidency of the United States. A leader must be 100% committed and be able to extend his total resources for the good of all. I cannot be that person. My physical and mental strength has betrayed me. …
Boos spontaneously erupt.
The megascreens stops posting and pans to my face. Tears roll from my eyes, my throat is tight. I look at the audience, especially the people closest to the platform. The gallery of staff, close friends and dignitaries appear uncomfortable. I see Jessamine walking to an exit, being comforted by a girlfriend. Their full-length minks and puffy hair are my only images.
Hell with the noise, I reason.
… Effective today, I must withdraw my candidacy for the presidency of the United States. A leader must be 100% committed and be able to extend his total resources for the good of all. I cannot be that person. My physical and mental strength has betrayed me. My decision today is made with a troubled heart since I know collectively we can make a difference. I leave you with love and respect that we made a brave fight, a good fight, and an honest fight only to fall short.
We are all part of a great country, created from high ideals with a fierce and competitive spirit, yet with the will to support, protect and defend our neighbors. Somewhere alone the way we have changed. We have become a consumer driven nation more interested in our personal welfare that understanding out finite place in a contracting world. In the next 25 years what you experience today will not be here. The world will no longer support our lifestyle of irresponsible spending and supply us with unlimited capital to do so.
Cheering and clamping are heard.
Our real debt and obligations total $50 trillion dollars not $16 trillion as claimed by our government. How are we to pay such a staggering debt? Don’t look to foreign capital or the future earnings power of the United States. The only means we have to pay the debt is to reducing the size of government and balance the yearly budget. We need to pay back and make our country whole again. …
The crowd erupts into sustained applause. Standing they shout in unison.
Catcher McCall stands tall
He’s our President for one and all.
Don’t quite now you can’t fall.
Catcher McCall stands tall,
Don’t quite now you can’t fall.
Don’t quite now you can’t fall.
Don’t quite now you can’t fall.
Don’t quite now you can’t fall.
As I raise my hands in response to the crowd’s chant a wasp-like sting is felt below my palm. I think nothing of it while referring to my notes.
The megascreens are cued to beginning positing.
My withdrawal is not the end, only the beginning of our great crusade to …
My head jerks back. I twitch starts in my hands. I can’t maintain my balance, dropping to one knee. I attempt to stand. When I finally do so, my speech is jumbled. As a look at the screen my face distorts into bizarre shapes. A tornado intense, blaring sound echoes in my head as I see the crowd gesturing in slow motion. I begin to babble with uncontrollable mucus from my mouth and nose drip onto my suit and tie. Finally, I collapse.
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FOLLOW THE TRIALS and tribulations of Catcher McCall with the full series entitled CATCHER McCALL ... Outsider.
Catcher McCall - Regrets and Rescue. Book One, Catcher McCall - Respect and Betrayal Book Two and Book Three as Catcher McCall - Lost and Return. Look for Book Four - Catcher McCall vs. Wall Street scheduled for April 1, 2013.
Copyright 2012 - C. J. Lanet
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